I've Tried Everything and I Give up: Myth Crusher Monday

We all see these types of posts on forums where people are at their wits end and are ready to quit trying this Internet marketing thing. You see post titles like:

- "Thinking of giving up."
- "I've tried EVERYTHING and NOTHING works."
- "6 months and no money. I quit."

I feel for people who post things like this because by sharing their pain, I think they show they have more desire to succeed than others who might be struggling (not that DESIRE is all that it takes). Unfortunately, most people start a project, never complete it and then disappear without a word. That's why I want to crush this myth for those people with the DESIRE today.

But that said, it is very rare that these people have "tried everything", nor have they FULLY tried those things that they've attempted. I hope that this blog post will push those who are ready to give up to go further and start to achieve the success they've been hoping for.

To get that extra push, you might need to understand which kind of "I've Tried Everything" type of person you might be:

a. The "I've Dabbled In Everything" Trap: Often the person who says they've tried everything, really has just dabbled in a LOT of things.

This type of person is attracted by all the shiny objects and flavors of the month the Internet marketing arena seems to offer. They've tried to make a $7 report. They've tried sending PPC traffic to affiliate pages. They've tried all those push-button software programs that generate hundreds or thousands of pages in a month.

When Joe Guru emails about a new money-making system, they jump on board. Then Fred Guru sends out an email and they are certain they need that. It's a never-ending cycle where you never give yourself a chance to really succeed in one area.

or sometimes they fall into...

b. The "I've Half-Heartedly Tried Everything" Trap: Then there are those who have a more focused plan and are working to target a specific market, but just can't seem to make it work. They've put up their website, set up their affiliate program, exchanged some links and bought a few ads...but nothing is really happening. This person may not recognize him or herself as such and will truly feel they've done everything and are "at a loss on what to do next."

(Disclaimer! - I'm not trying to sound condescending or put anyone down..just trying to give a dose of Tough Sweetie Love...and some solutions.)

How to Get Out of These Traps:

1. First Things First -> Your Target:

It IS possible that if you're trying to sell a product or market to a market that doesn't already exist, you might not get to success. But if you see others successfully selling similar products to similar people, you've got that battle down. Target market is definitely key and so is how you stand out in the market.

And hey, if you're just puttering around trying this and that...now is the time to identify that target market you want to serve and get to work.

If you need help with your target and standing out with a USP (Unique Selling Position): Consult the Target Market & USP section of the FAQ.

2. Next: Make a Commitment to Follow-Through:

It doesn't matter if you're Dabbler or a Half-Hearted, make sure you have a plan and fully execute it.

It doesn't help to set up an affiliate program and then not RECRUIT (not just wait for them to come to you) affiliates and provide stellar training materials.

It doesn't help to have a sales page if you have no idea about how to write copy that sells.

It doesn't help to set up a mailing list and then either 1.) Never build the list and/or 2.) Never email to that list...OR WORSE yet 3.) Never SELL anything to that list.

It doesn't help to post to a blog if you don't drive any traffic to it.

I think you get my point. So what is an overwhelmed person to do? Take it one step at a time and...

3. Make a Plan:

If you're still struggling for those first glimpses of success, there is no reason why you have to try to do everything at once. Start with one strategy for spreading the word about your business and build on your success.

Whether your first strategy is (just a couple of examples...not an exhaustive list of possibilities):

• A mailing list of opt-in subscribers
• An affiliate program (and think...if you promote it aggressively, that will result in a list of paying customers which is even more valuable than opt-in subscribers, in most cases)
• A press release campaign to gain publicity.

...do it from beginning to end.

Beginning to end means (using the same non-exhaustive examples above):

• Mailing list: Grow your list, email your list regular and test out different offers. Get to know your list and improve your marketing constantly.
• Affiliate program: Recruit affiliates, push them to take action, provide useful promo materials, pay on time and keep on paying. Repeat.
• Press Release Campaign: Writing your releases, distributing them DIRECTLY to media outlets and not just online newswires, following up with anyone who interviews your or publishes your release. Sending out more press releases with the same steps.

4. Do Things That Produce Quicker Results First:

There are no instant riches on the Internet (unless you're that lucky online lottery ticket buyer!), but some things you can do to promote your business work faster than others.

For example, if you're been told you can get a flood of free search engine traffic by optimizing your pages for search engines - be prepared to wait. YES, search engine traffic totally rocks, but it can take time to build. DON'T make this your first order of business unless you have the patience to wait, especially if your website is new to the world wide web.

Instead work on thing like starting a highly-targeted and tracked advertising campaign, actively (I mean ACTIVELY!) building your mailing list, finding willing affiliate partners or creating a product with someone who ALREADY has a list. You'll be more motivated to continue when you achieve quicker results.

5. Avoid Desperation:
If you're in a tough financial situation, it can be tough to maintain your focus and it's easy to try to follow the shiny objects or feel like it's time to toss in the towel. But if you want to build a business - a REAL and profitable business - don't make desperate decisions.

If you need money quickly, consider selling on eBay, offering a service where you get paid for your time or even get a good ol' fashioned job. But if you approach your business with desperation, it will make it hard for you to follow-through on those activities that will mean LONG-TERM growth for your business. Trust me, sticking with it is well-worth it in the long run.

6. About Learning & Buying Training Materials:

Once you have your plan together, you'll have a better idea of what type of learning or training materials you should seek out or buy. If you're working on your affiliate program, you don't need to buy that "Instant Millions with Google Adwords with Your Hand Tied Behind Your Back" ebook that is being touted by everyone with an Internet marketing list (Okay, even if you're working on pay-per-clicks you probably still don't need something with that type of title anyway..hehehe). Keep it focused and again, follow-through on your plan.

7. Evaluate & Improve:

It's kind of funny, but over the past few years of working with online entrepreneurs, I've noticed that so many who struggle don't follow this step. They just keep doing the same ol' thing and hope for a different result. Or if they get some success, they have trouble building on it. It's because they don't evaluate and improve.

The message is simple, but it doesn't work unless you put it into action:

• If you do something that results in a profit or step forward for your business - keep doing more of it.
• If you do something that doesn't help your business, stop doing it.

We're all creatures of habit and sometimes it's easy to get into a rut of doing what feels comfortable. But comfortable isn't what's going to pay the bills...challenge yourself to improve your marketing plan ALL the time.